THE BRIDAL AND THE BRIDLE. * Faom some occasional remarks in
the course of this volume the author appears to be a military man, who has served in India. In April last he was married, in Belgium, and proceeded to Paris to spend the honeymoon. The happy pair, or the man of action soon got tired of Paris, its sights and cafes and a trip to Constantinople by the overland route was proposed .Co "Emily." No sooner said than agreed to ; and off they started for Trieste, where the work of the journey has to begin. From Trieste they proceeded through Croatia and Slavonia to Belgrade ; and then travelled Tartar to Constantinople, through Servm, Bulgaria, and Romania. And rarely has a soldier's wife been better trained for a campaign. From Fiume the whole journey was a continuance of exertion and pri- vation: the living was bad, the night accommodation worse ; the carts miscalled carriages were execrable in themselves, and made rougher by execrable roads : twelve hours in the saddle and sometimes more might have been hailed as a relief to these troubles, even though the riding was Tartar fashion—through or aver everything ; but there was sometimes bad weather, and the bridgeless streams were deep. However, the bridal party went cheerfully through it all ; sleeping in chairs or in verandahs when no better accommodation offered, and putting up with such fare as could be got ; the "lord and master" making himself at home wherever he went, on true military principles, that is, at the expense of the right owner. He naïvely writes—" In the East, if you do but usurp authority, the Orientals instantly, and as a matter of course, obey you. It matters little that you have not the sha- dow of any right over those around you : one soon gets into impe- rative and despotic habits there, and I never hesitated to beckon any one I saw to light my pipe, hold my horse, or perform any other menial office I might require—and this without payment— merely by the power of an authoritative tone or gesture." The gallant bridegroom, it may be added, backed by the writings of Pashas and the presence of his Tartar courier, did not " hesitate " either to put the master and his family out of their sanctum when need was.
Much of varied acquirement or literary excellence was not to be expected from a journey undertaken under such circumstances and performed in such a way. The route carried the tourist through districts whose people and their habits have varied little since the middle ages ; the geography, economy, and local institu- tions are curious ; a competent man with time to look about him, could collect materials for a remarkable book in the districts through which our traveller passed. He was too rapid in his *The Bridal and the Bridle; or our Honeymoon-Trip in the East in 1850. Pub- lished by Bentley.
movements and his mind to collect much; he seems too thoroughly Anglo-Saxon to observe strange things uncoloured by habitual notions. Hence his descriptions are generally superficial, and he judges what he sees by a predetermined standard. The rapidity of his movements, however, is transferred to his book. In the wilder parts of the country there is a constant change of scene, blended with incidents of travel ; the country and adventures are unhaeknied ; and there is the oddity of the whole affair. Above all, there is neither affectation nor bookmaking. The author tells what he thinks and sees, as he thought and saw it Hence the book is readable, and in a limited degree informing. Along much of the line he took so little is known that all is 'welcome. An Englishman, too, is a rare commodity in those regions ; and that circumstance often developed native manners, and got up little scenes.
The strongest ground of the traveller is, of course, his own pro- fession. At Nissa he seems to have been looked upon as a "lord mighty in war "; and after a visit to the Pasha he had military honours paid to him, and the troops turned out for his inspection.
"I walked up to the barracks, accompanied by the medico, who, having been in Italy, and wishing at some future time to visit France and Eng- land, asked me if there were not a railroad from Amsterdam to London.
"The rnilarim [ensign] who met us at the gate of the barracks, looked exceedingly like a sergeant, garnished with a white shoulder-belt. The guard stood to arms, and the officers buzzed around us like a swarm of bees, with swords hilted with transparent horn ; while queer little stars, brass crescents, and small cartridge-boxes, covered the breasts of their uniforms. "I was introduced to one or two of the chefs d'eseadron ; and we all sat down in front of the court, where the swarthy crimson-capped band was mus- tered. A dusky Arab, the band-master, an officer of higher rank than a captain in the 'Turkish army, waved his hand, and the dingy-faced musi- cians struck up. Very well they played too, and a pretty dose of music they gave us.
"First they played two operas through ; they then rattled over polkas and waltzes enough to set even the grim Osmanlee dancing ; and next a Rus- sian and a Polish march ; also a 'Turkish march and retreat, which was very curious.
"The peculiarly wild, mournful, yet martial character of this their native Tartar music, the wild wailing notes of the trumpet, sad and plaintive be- yond description, and the deep short rolling of the Turkish drum, have a charm to thrill the senses ; and I was carried back in idea to the days of Mohammed, the conqueror of the Greek Emperors, of Suleiman the Mag- nificent, Amurath, and Bajazet, and other long-passed heroes of the haughty line of Othman. The Tartar race, though less refined and gentle than the elegant and accomplished Arabs, were marked by even a prouder style of chivalry, although it might have been perhaps somewhat ruder in its cha- racter.
"In the pauses of the musky the nearest captain constantly looked at me for applause, and appeared much and wondrously gratified by a few words of approval ; and when the band, having been ordered to play me a salaam, gave a prolonged Oriental flourish and filed off in a body, the swarthy Arab band-master was presented to me by my worthy Asmodeus the medico. I praised his people's performances, which appeared to please him greatly ; and we left the parade.
"But we were by this time surrounded by a swarm of officers ; and I had first to visit their quarters, then the casernes of the private soldiers, who were all put under arms for my inspection. I was obliged to examine arms, men, uniforms, paletots, knapsacks, cartouch-boxes--everything. "The men were mostly short, thickset fellows : here and there were some fine-looking Osmanli soldiers, with bold, hardy, intelligent features ; but all were Mahometans, no others being admitted into the army, and most of them natives of Roumelia or Anatolia.
"About seven Nugroi Monsenegrins were attached to every company of a hundred men. There were very few Albanians or Bosnians ; these warlike and gallant barbarians being mostly retained for body-guards to Pashas, or for a force of irregular police soldiery. "The Turkish troops I consider to be well-drilled automatons, in perfect discipline. Their uniforms are badly made, and a paltry imitation of the French ; but they have been wise enough to keep the crimson cap with its handsome purple tassel, instead of the European casquette. It was wise to retain this, as, although far less picturesque than the line old turban, the red tarbousch is the chosen head-dress of every Moslem in the Ottoman Empire, from Sultan and Pasha down to the humblest caiquegee. "It was curious to see how the Turkish officers crowded round the infidel Frank, and with what eager childishness they showed him their accoutre- ments, and asked if they were the same in Europe. Had I been the Duke of Wellington, they could not have been more anxious to gain ray approbation of their military perfections ; and the soldiers, when I stopped before them, seemed to regard me as if I were the Sultan's Capidjee Bashi, the bearer of life and death.
"After expressing my approval of their Nizam Djedeed, I went over the hospital ; whose excellent condition deserves really very great praise. The utmost care is taken of the sick in the Turkish service, and they are provided with every care and comfort."
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